Automatic alarm device for fire-extinguishing apparatus.



H. c. HENLEY & A. 3.0mm. AUTOIATIO ALARM DEVICE FOR FIRE EXTINGUIBHING APPARATUS.

APPIJOATIOI FILED IOV. 9, 1 908. 936,889. Patented Oct. 12,1909.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. Q MW i? Q Inf-$7? I I v fizgi Litnrrafq A i. nvux' yaw H. c. HENLEY & A. nnnownsn. 7 AUTOMATIC ALARM DEV IOB FOB FIRE. BXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIOI IIIQBD 110 17. 9. 180B.

936,889. Patented 0ct.12,1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. 0. HENLEY & A. B. GROWDBR.

AUTOMATIC ALARM DEVIGB P03 mn' nxwmemsnme APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIOK FILED F011. 9. 1908.

936,889 Patented Oct. 12,1909.

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sTArEs PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY C. HENLEY AND ALBERT B.

cnownnn, on sat LOUIS, MISSOURI;

AnromA'rrc ALARM DEVICE non rrnn-nx'rrneuisniue APPARATUS.

' i Specification of Letter slatent. Patented Oct,

Application filed flovember 9, ,1808. Serial No. $61,657.

To allwhom it may concern Be it known that we, HENRY O. HENLEY and ALBERT B. Cnowunn, citizens of the United States, residing in the city of St.

Louis and of Missouri, havemvented certain new. and useful Improvements in Automatic Alarm Devices for Fire-Extinguishing Apparatus, of which the following is a in 1, clear, and exactdescription, reference being Gur invention relates to an-aiitom-atic alarm device for use in connection with fire extinmaintenance of a pressure in the distribution pipe in excess of the pressure maintained in thesupply pipe. f

Figure I an elevation of our alarm device associated with a fire extinguishin apparatus. Fig. 11' isja side elevation .0 our alarm device connected to the supply and distribution pipes of a fire extinguishing apparatus. Flg. III is a vertical section through the alarm device.

In the-accompanying drawings: A designates the supply pipe or main .of a fire extinguishing apparatus and B the distribution pipe oisaid a ratus. i

0 is a centre ing valve interposed between 4 the-supply and distribution pipes and which the pressure in the may be of anypreterred construction.

distribution pipe B is designed to have maintained therein a pressure H1 excess ofsup 1y i eor main A.

dined any .desired and which my bit pro manner, such as bygthe employment of a-suit-.

able ump D connected to :the distribution 'Ey .a conducting pipe through-which P Enid subjected to pressure by the'pump may be conducted :to the distribution :pipegto increase the pressunetherein. The. supply and distribution pipes are equipped with suitable pressure gages 35 and I =1 and 2 designate conduetingspipes leading had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

Fig. IV is a rear' that is located between a lower spider or! guard 7 and an upper spider or guard 8 suit-- -ably mounted in the casing intermediate .of

the top and bottom thereof.

9 is a push rod in the chamber 4 of the casing 3 and which is provided at its lower end with a head 10 that is movably fitted 'in the upperguard 8. The head of this push A red is seated upon the diaphragm 6, thereby providing for vertical movement of the rod when the diaphragm beneathit is'flexed up.-

wargily by pressure in the lower chamher 5 against its lower side in excess of the pressure present in the up er ehamberjl.

11 is an upper iaphragm at the top of the upper low-pressure chamber 4 and located above the upper end of the push rod 9, this diaphragm bein referably held between the up er .end .0 t e casing .3 and a cap 12 secure. to and forming a art of the cas ng.

In the .da 12, immediate y above the push rod 9 an the centralpoi'tion of the second diaphragm 11, is anoplening 13.

14 is a lift' rod that is eperable in the opening 13 in the .cap' 12, an whichis pro vided at its lower end with a head 15 that seives to" limit the upward movement of the re 1-6 designates a weighted arm that is pivoted at 17 to posts 18 extending upwardly from the cap 1-2 of the casing 3 and whi' isadaptedto rest upon the upper end of the liftrod l l'. H

'19 designates a bracket secured to the easing 3 and extending at n angle or transi 1;

versely'relative to the weighted arm 16.

20 is a: contact arm .throug-h'whieh the I connected at'21 to a binding post 22 supportedb y the bracket 19, (see Fi- I and III.) .E'glhe contact arm f20 is a apted to operate between an upper stop 23uttached I to a post "21 supported-by the bracket 19 and a contact% attached a binding'pos -26. .binding post .to 'which the contact arm 20 is fitted and the binding post 26'that supports the contact 25 are adapted to be placed in circuit with a suitable indicator, such as an electric bell, by the attachment of connecting wires to said binding posts and which lead to the indicator.

purpose filled, in order that the dividing diaphragm will be balanced or subjected to approximately even pressure at both sides tnereoi. Then when a. pressure of greater degree 1S established in the distribution pipe A, and

the high-pressure chamber 5 in connnunication therewith, the greater degree of'pressure is only required to overcome the normal pressure in the low-pressure chamber 4 in order that the movable parts of" the alarm device may be carried to their normal positions, ready to move to alarm producing positions in the event of leakage from the dis tribution pipe or any of its branches. An important advantage in the provision of'the low-pressure chamber 4, in communication with the supply pipe, ,lies in the fact that the pressure medium in this chamber acts to prevent buckling of the diaphragm under the pressure in the high-pressure chamber 5 as would be liable to occur in the absence of counteracting I the chamber 5.

In the practical use of our alarm device, .a pressure in excess of the pressure in the supply pipe or main of the fire extinguishing apparatus is established in the'distribution plpe of said apparatus. As aconsequence of the unequal pressure in the supply and distribution pipes, there is caused to exist in the lower chamber 5 of our alarm device a pressure in-'excess of the pressure 1n the upper-chamber 4 of sa1d device, due

to the communication between thedistribu-.

tion pipe, in which excess pressure is present, and the chamber 5, provided by theconducting pipe 2, while the other conducting pipe 1 leading from the supply pipe of thefire extinguishing "apparatus furnishes communication'between said supply pipe, containing the lesser pressure, and the chamber 4 of the alarm device. By the production and maintenance of a pressure inlthe chamber 5 in excess of that in the chamber 4, the diaphragm '6 separating said chambers is forced upwardly-\and held in an u lifted position between the guards 7, where y it acts upon the push rod 9 to elevate it and support it in an elevated'positioin This-push rod in turn acts upon the'upper diaphragm 11 in the casing of the alarm device, and the upper. diaphragm in turn acts upon the'liift and high pressure pressure opposing that in transfer of rod l-l to hold it in the elevated position in Fig. II. The lift rod 14 at such times serves as a support for the weighted arm 16, and as a consequence sa1d weightedjarm is so upheld as to cause it to support the contact arm 20 against the stop 23 above it.

The positions of the parts of the alarm device that have been reclted are those maintained as long as normal conditions exist in a fire extinguishing apparatus with which our alarm device is associated. In the event of the escape of fluid from the distribution pipe of" the apparatus there is aresultant device and the diaphragm 6 descends, the

weighted arm 16 is permitted to move down- Wardly from the position'illustrated in the drawings; and as it so moves, it carries with it the contact arm with the result of causing said contact arm to be lowered to the contact 25 beneath it. Anelectric circuit is thereby established between said con-' tact and its binding post 26, the contact arm 20 and its binding 0st 22, and the indicator, such as the bell illustrated in Fig. I, whereby an alarm is given that serves as a notification of escape of fluid from the distribution pipe of the fire extinguishing apparatus, whether said escape be due to the opening of an outlet as a consequence of a fire, or due to leakage at any point throughout the distribution pipe or any oft-its branches.

We claim 1. The combination with a fire extinguishing apparatus having a supply pipe, 9. distribution pipe, and means for providing a higher degree of ressure in said distribution pipethan that in said supply pipe; of an alarm-device com rising a casing, a dividing diaphragm in said casing subdividing it into high and low pressure-chambers, free of communication with each other, the high pressure chamber having communication withsaid distribution pipe and the low pressure chamber having communication with said supply pipe, a second diaphragm exposed to he pressure medium in said low pressure chamber, an indicator controlling membercontrolled by said second diaphragm, and means in sa1d low pressure chamber interposed between said dividing diaphra and said second 'diaphragm providing or the force fromsaid dividing diaphragm to said second diaphragm to hold said indicator controlling. member in an inactlve position pending a reduction of gllessure 'in said distribution pipe and the 'gh up essure chamber in communication therewith. I c

2 The combination with a fire extinguishing apparatus having a sup 1y pipe, a distrlbution pi-pe,"and means or providing a higherdegree of pressure in' said distribution ipe than that in said supply; pipe; of an a arm device comprising a casing, a di-' viding diaphragm in said casing subdividing it into high and low pressure chambers, free of communication with each other, the high pressure chamber havin communication with said distribution pipe and the low pressure chamber having communication with said supply pipe, a'second diaphragm exposed to the pressure medium in said low pressure chamber, an indicator controlling 20 member controlled by said second diaand a rod in said low ressure cham r interposed between said ividing dia bra and said second diaphragm providmg or the transfer of force from said dividing diaphragm to said second diaphragm to hold said indicator controlling mem er in an inactive position pending a reduction of pressure in said distribution pipe and the high pressure chamber in oom- 30 munication therewith.

HENRY O. HENLEY.

. ALBERT B. CROWDER.

In the presence of:

H. G. 000K, E. M. HARRINGTON. 

